Apparatus for the condensation of volatile metals such as zinc and the like



F' R THE NDENSATION OF VOLATILE SUCH AS ZINC AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 27, 1924 CASPARI APPARATUS CO META Marc'h 7;"1925.

Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITED STATES FRITZ CASPARI, OF GELSENKIRCHEN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONDENSAIION 0F VOLATILE METALS SUCH AS ZINC AND THE LIKE.

Application led February 27, 1924. Serial No. 695,535.

To all whom 'it may concer/n:

Be it known that I, FRITZ CASPARI, a citi- Zen of the Republic of Germany, and a resident of Gelsenkirchen, Germany, have invented Improvements in an Apparatus lfor the Condensation of Volatile Metals such as Zinc and the like, of which the following is a specification.

It is known that in the production of volatile metals such as zinc and the like great difficulties are encountered in converting the metallic vapours into the molten or liquid state.

It has been found, however, that the output in liquid metal is greatly enhanced by keeping the vapours and gases to be condensed in motion during the condensing operation.

- T o this end several suggestions have been made. Thus it has been suggested to carry out the whole operation of producing zinc electrothermically in a rolling furnace. Further it has been suggested to convey the zinc vapours to be condensed into a. rotary furnace or into a rotary drum and to keep them in motion therein together with a metal having no tendency to combine with zinc. Furthermore it has been suggested to subject the Zine-dust in a vessel to the action of an endless screw adapted to revolve within the said vessel.

None of the hitherto proposed suggestionsl however gave satisfactory results. In cases where the whole of the condensing apparatus is devised and adapted to move bodily great loss, disturbances' and difiiculties in the management and operation of the apparatus are encountered and mainly due tol. The impossibility of properly tightening the rotary apparatus against the atmosphere.

2. The complicated manner of supporting the same in suitable bearings or the like.

3. The difficulty arising from the motion, in accommodating the internal heating device, electric arc and the like required to ensure a satisfactory condensation.

et. The necessity of driving the apparatus by means of a rack which necessarily must be exposed to the heat prevailing in the vicinity thereof. l

In other cases the indispensable require ment of mixing the gases and the dust together with the already condensed metal cannot be complied with in a satisfactory manner.

The object of this invention is to remedy all of the aforementioned defects. IVith this object in View the condensing apparatus which may be located at any appropriate place independently of the furnace, is, according to my invention, constructed to comprise a stationary casing or chamber and a movable body therein, preferably a rotary drum or cylinder acting, through its rotation, to simultaneously mix together the gas, the dust and the already condensed metal.

The apparatus is shown, by way of eX- ample, in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the entire plant,

Figure 2 is a plan, thereof,

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line A-B of Figure l and Figure 4 is a section taken on the line C-D of Figure 1.

In the stationary chamber or casing a having a lining made of refractory material a drum or cylinder b is mounted on and keyed to a horizontal shaft c duly supported in suitable bearings .7L and i located outside of the casing a. The shaft c may be caused to rotate in the one or the other direction by any suitable driving means with the aid of a pulley fm.. In order to prevent the shaft from bending under the action of the heat and strains imparted thereto, the two end portions of the shaft are bored, so as to be hollow and pipes d and e are provided to discharge a cooling liquid into the hollow ends of the shaft from any suitable source of supply, receptacles f and g, respectively being provided to receive the water flowing out from the open ends of the shaft.

The two openings in the end walls of the casing through which the shaft o projects in order to be supported by the bearings h and z', are closed by stuffing boxes k and Z, respectively. The vapours and gases to be treated are introduced into the condensation chamber preferably near the one end thereof, as at n, and they are allowed to escape at the other end, as at o, after having dropped all of the metal so as to be practically free of metallic particles.

,y At the one end of the casing two carbons and g are mounted in the wall thereof to produce an electric .arc within the casing.-

Obviously the arc may be provided and located at any other suitable place in the cas-A ing, in order to keep the chamber within a range of temperatures that will be the best suitable for the condensing process. In case ofA treating zinc the temperature range in the chamber may extend" from 4000 to 600 C. to give satisfactory results.

The liquefied or condensed zinc gathers at the bottom 1' of the chamber Ior casing and is preferably kept at so high a level that the drum -b will' bein constant contact therewith and, during its revolutions, will cause the upper layer of the yliquid zinc to be constantly in motion. As soon as the level of the -liquid zinc rises too hign a certain amount thereof will be allowed to flow off through the outlets s.

2. The bearings supportin" the shaft are removed from the reach 0% the required heat and are not subjected to strains owing to excessive pressures; the pressure they 85 undergo being rather moderate or low.

3. The device for heating the chamber or casing internally is mounted in the latter so as to be stationary.

4. The driving means do not include any i 40 gears or chain gearing as in the apparatus hitherto suggested, but they comprise a mere belt and pulley which are not detri,

mentally affected by the heat produced in the -chamberfwhilst the gear-ings hereto- '45 fore employed for the like purpose soon are seriously damaged thereby.

5. Economy on account of less power con sumption than in the apparatus hitherto 1n use, s mce instead of the wholey of the caslng with the heavy metal load therein, Nas heretofore, only the empty drum carry-l ing no load except its own weight is to be revolved by the driving means.

The operation of condensing the i Zinc vapours supplied to the apparatus isl practically carried out in a manner that a temperature of between 400 and 600 C. will obtain in the condensation chamber. The` drum may be rotated in the one or the other direction and the rotary speed may be ofany suitabley value depending mainly on the percentage of the zinc-vapours pres- The principal advantages of the invenent in the mixture of vapours and gases supplied to the condensation chamber.

Whilel I have shown my invention embodied in ai' certain apparatus, it is not to be inferred that such apparatus represents the only form, in which my invention may be embodied, but is illustrated 'and described only as illustration'.V of a' form now preferred by me, and to make clear theprinciple's and methods of application l lowing waste gases to vbe drawnl ofi', subst-antially as and for the purpose set forth.'

2. An apparatus for condensing volatile metals, comprising a stationary chamber,V

a drum or cylinder mounted in said chamber to rotate at a certain speed, means for driying said drum or cylinder, and means for supplying and dischar 'ng said chamber, substantially as and or the purpose set forth.

3. Apparatus for I condensing zinc vapours, comprising a stationary chamber or casing, a rotary drum mounted in said chamber, means for imparting motion to said drum and )a heating means in, said chamber substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. Apparatus for condensing zinc vapours comprising a stationary chamber, a drum or cylinder mounted in said chamber, means for imparting rotary `motion to said drum and a heating vmeans in said cham- -ber and attached to the wall thereof substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. \Apparatus for condensing zinc va- -ours, comprising a stationary chamber, a rum or cylinder mounted in said chamber,

means for imparting rotary motion to said drum, a heating means attached to the inner wall of said chamber, means for supplying the chamber or casing with zinc vapours, means for drawing off from the chamber the residue or waste gases, and a means for periodically tapping the chamber or casing for liquefied zinc,isubstantially as and for the purpose 'set forth. l

In witness whereof, I aiiix my signature.

DR. FRITZ CASPAQRI.-

.85 -chamber with volatile metals and for al, v 

